Pistol deer hunting??????????????

[Skychief]

Greetings all!

Summer is here and it seems like a great time to ask about deer hunting with muzzleloading pistols.

I plans to take up this challenge this Fall, so I'm hoping to here your thoughts but especially your experiences regarding subject.

Any and all information will be absorbed, including loads, caliber, projectiles (round all, conical) blood trails, effective ranges, the good, the bad, and the ugly (hopefully not much ugly).

Here in Indiana, in their infinite wisdom, the DNR has deemed the following legal for muzzleloading pistol deer hunting..."single shot, 50 caliber or larger, loaded with bullets at least 44 caliber and having a barrel at least 12 inches long".

I can meet those specs with a bit of work, and plan to.

So, please chime in and let me hear anything you may offer about searching for deer with a muzzleloading pistol. I've four and a half months to get things squared away equipment -wise. Your input is looked forward to.

Best regards and thank you, Skychief.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I hav a Pedersoli Bounty Hunter is .50 caliber that is accurate enough to take deer to 75 yards from a rest. I shoot it from a tree stand with a shooting rail that is padded. It should meet all of your state's requirements (and is a blast to shoot.)

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Skychief]

Thanks Bigfoot!

To all, I'm interested in hearing about ANY pistols used for deer hunting, not just those that meet my state's requirements. So let us hear about any and all pistol deer hunting please.

Best regards, Skychief.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

A 54 caliber would be my choice. I have a couple of 50 caliber pistols, but that little extra ball and the barrel is just a shade lighter than a 50 cal barrel.

 

[Patocazador]

I have only killed one deer with a B.P. pistol and it was a back-up shot. My rifle ball failed to penetrate the bones of the shoulder joint and the small buck hobbled off about 45 yards and stopped. I had my Ruger Old Army with me and shot him in the lungs. He traveled about 50 yards and fell over dead.

If were purposely hunting with a pistol, I would take my .45 Patriot with a prb since it is the most accurate pistol I have. I would limit my shot to 35 yards.
I have killed 2 hogs with my Ruger while hunting them and only took a revolver with me.

It is legal to hunt deer with any muzzleloading firearm of .30 caliber and over in Florida now due to a recent stupid rule change. Before, the lower limit was .40 caliber.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

In Maryland, the minimum caliber is .40, for deer. The minimum load is a round ball launched by 40 grains of BP. So..., you can get away with a Walker Colt or a 1st Model Dragoon revolver.

I'd suggest that you get a decently long barrel to give you a sighting radius that pretty large. The Pedersoli "Bounty" mentioned above is pretty large indeed. The Lyman plains pistol is another popular choice.

LD

 

[Britsmoothy]

I know nothing first hand but there are some good YouTube videos out there.

 

[Grimord]

I haven't shot a deer, but i have shot several wild boar with my .50 caliber Traditions Trapper. I used the Hornaday Pennsylvania bullet (240 grains) over 40 grains of 3f. Its a stiff load but it works. Dropped two boar pretty much in their tracks from about 35 yards.

 

[8 BORE]

Thompson Center Scout pistol.
45/50/54 calibers.
Much success with my 50 with a tc maxi hunter conical and 80 gr. of 3F goex

 

[azmntman]

Have yet to hunt deer with BP pistol. Here there is no caliber, charge or barrel length requirements. so, in all there knowledgeable lawmaking bliss the powers that be say I can hunt a bull elk with a Pennsylvania derringer, or a ,32 derringer, or a what have you. BUT OH NO.....cant hunt any big game with a black powder revolver! ANY cf revolver though. So in regular bull elk season I can carry my super powerful deadly .32 auto for MR BUll but NOT an ROA?

Keep us posted on yer choice Skychief!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Once knew a fellow who regularly poached deer with a Remington .44 C&B with round ball. Claimed they could penetrate the length of the body. Don't know if that is true but he did bring home much meat, albeit illegally.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Claimed they could penetrate the length of the body.

Well IF you were right "on top" of the deer when firing....,

LD

 

[Sparkitoff]

I spent several year exclusively handgun hunting, primarily deer but other species too. Where legal, several were taken with a .40 caliber (centerfire) handgun. This was a 165-180 grain bullet at 1000 FPS +/- a few. Shot placement out to 30-yards with good presentation was the only thing acceptable and it worked well. A 50-caliber black powder handgun is going to send a ball within that same weight range at close to the same velocity (depending on powder charge and barrel length). So I would have no hesitation shooting deer with the same parameters in place - Shot placement out to 30-yards on good presentation. With a 54-caliber and its heavier ball I would be willing to stretch the range some if the accuracy was retained at whatever range that may be. If conicals were very accurate that may be a good option to get some more weight with whatever caliber you choose. I've used a 4" 357 Magnum revolver extensively on deer and even a black bear. The 125-160 grain bullets would get 900-1100 FPS from that barrel length (heavier bullet=slower velocity). I can get this weight range and velocity with my .44-cal 5.5" revolver. The .454 balls are 128-143 grains and the MV is 846-896 FPS. It is not legal to use a BP revolver in some places and I haven't used it on game much for that reason, but I would be confident using it with about the same parameters as I previously mentioned. Now in airguns are legal in my two States and they are sending .50 caliber projectiles up to 1000 FPS, .357 projectiles up to 950 fps. Deer have been taken on film and in research up to 100-yards. These ballistics are easily duplicated by BP muzzleloader handguns. As with any hunting, use logical parameters and you will be successful.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have a Pedersoli Bounty Hunter...,

I was thinking of getting one of those and then making it so it could accept a detachable stock..., just to have something like that...,

Short, flintlock carbines are not unknown..., though the original in the video doesn't have a removeable stock...



Lets see what Colonel Mortimer, an expert in such antiques has to say, …..



LD

 

[FishDFly]

Thompson Center Scout pistol.
45/50/54 calibers.
Much success with my 50 with a tc maxi hunter conical and 80 gr. of 3F goex

What is the recoil like with 80 grains of 3F in a pistol?

 

[8 BORE]

What is the recoil like with 80 grains of 3F in a pistol?

Like a ,44 mag . The scout is heavy. It absorbs a lot of recoil and the grip rolls back. Really fun to shoot

 

[FishDFly]

Like a ,44 mag . The scout is heavy. It absorbs a lot of recoil and the grip rolls back. Really fun to shoot

Personally, I do not like the recoil from the pistol you mentioned.

 

[8 BORE]

Personally, I do not like the recoil from the pistol you mentioned.

Skychief was the one inquiring.
Let him decide

 

[FishDFly]

Guess I asked because you mentioned 80 grains and was wondering what it was like.

 

[Skychief]

Keep it coming all. I'm chewing and digesting all that is written.

Thanks, Skychief.